I'm adding some additional information to the excellent "how to change your shifter shaft oil seal tutorial" in the DIY section. I ran into the infamous "can't get the shifter arm off the output shaft" problem that apparently others have encountered. Thankfully, the forum provided guidance on how to solve this problem. I will be picking up the seal replacement at the point where the bolt is removed from the shifter arm on the output shaft, since I wasn't able to use the "from above" approach.
In order to get better access to the shifter arm bolt, I removed the next shield in line in order to gain horizontal access to the bolt.
The removal of the front shield bolt was the most difficult, almost as hard as the shifter arm bolt. You need the right height combination of 1/4" socket, extension, and 8 mm socket to remove this bolt. Removal isn't so bad, but reinstalling it was fun. Thanks to someone who mentioned the paper towel trick for holding the bolt in the socket. Can't believe I've spent this many years on the face of the earth and haven't seen that one before. After removing the shield, which required some monkeying around in order to get it out, the shifter arm bolt was easy to access and remove.
I also needed to remove the third shield in order to gain access to several frame bolts.
I also removed the foot rest to get it out of the way, I believe it was in the way of the wrench in order to remove the frame bolts.
I removed the two frame bolts.
I then removed the motor mount bolt.
I used my jack handle to pry the frame tube away from the engine. I pryed against the altenator housing. It didn't take a whole lot of pressure to get enought clearance for the shifter arm assembly to drop off the output shaft.
After removal, I used my disc grinder to remove just a little more than the thickness of the cutoff wheel from the shifter arm. This proved to be enough clearance to easily get the shifter arm back on the output shaft with the frame bolted back together.
I placed a jack under the engine and applied a little pressure thinking the removal of the motor mount bolt might allow the engine to move but it did not.
I found that the seal that I removed seemed to be soft and pliable on the inner seal surface, however, the outer lip appeared to harder and more toward the brittle side as compared to the new seal. Hopefully this along with the new shifter shaft support will cure any oil leakage problems.
I hope this helps the next guy that runs into this problem.
How to Remove Shifter Arm Blocked by Frame Tube
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- Posts: 1
- Joined: Fri Jul 29, 2016 12:31 am
- Location: Pasco Wa.
- Motorcycle: 1986GL1200A Aspencade_ _1993 GL1500A Aspencade
Re: How to Remove Shifter Arm Blocked by Frame Tube
Thank you for the input of how to remove the shifter arm thought I was the only one with this problem again Thanks...
- in2it
- Posts: 283
- Joined: Sun Oct 06, 2019 6:09 am
- Location: Waldo,Arkansas
- Motorcycle: 2000 GL 1500 Aspencade
1982 GL1100 (SOLD)
1980 GL1100 Bobber with Vance and Hines Mufflers (SOLD)
Past Rides in my youth
1965 Honda C102 50cc OHV Engine with 3spd Auto-Clutch
1972 CB 350
1975 CB 550 4 with Dunstall headers and mufflers
1978 GL 1000
Re: How to Remove Shifter Arm Blocked by Frame Tube
I'm glad to see this.... here i thought I was the only one with a problem... thank you for the post